Sunday, August 22, 2010

The Ruth Rendell Mysteries ran for 13 years - 1987 to 2000. It concentrated on a variety of Rendell adaptations, the most well-known being the Inspector Wexford stories starring the dour George Baker and the even more taciturn Christopher Ravenscroft.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

BBC's rugby programme was, surprisingly, called Rugby Special. It started in 1976 and ran for almost 30 years. Brian Bennett's theme tune was the superlative Holy Mackerel and lasted until the early 1990s. Funky as hell and performed by The Sound Stage Orchestra.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Randall And Hopkirk (Deceased) was a wonderful example of superb and intelligent scriptwriting. A rundown detective agency suffers the loss of one of its partners but ploughs on regardless under the watchful eye of his ghost and the deceased's lovely wife played by Annette Andre.

The theme tune was composed by Edwin Astley and this rendition is faithfully played by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Quatermass II was the second of three BBC entries into the science fiction genre during the 1950s. Nigel Kneale (Beasts, Kinvig) was the writer and these groundbreaking tales of Professor Bernard Quatermass were true televisual feasts.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Bodie, Doyle and Cowley were the main characters in The Professionals which was created by Brian Clemens.

Laurie Johnson's original theme is outstanding and really takes me back to those early 1980s broadcasts. The version here is by The South Bank Orchestra and has been heavily criticised in the past. Pretty undeserved in my opinion - it's pretty funky and well worth a re-appraisal.

Friday 13 August
Crossroads - Episode 2888: January 1978
British Transport Films - 'Inter-City 125' (1976)
The Famous Five - 'Five Run Away Together'
Homicide: Life On The Street - 'M.E., Myself And I'

Friday 6 August
Crossroads - Episode 2881: January 1978
British Transport Films - 'Old Sam The Signalman' (1982)
The Famous Five - 'Five Fall Into Adventure, Part 2'
Homicide: Life On The Street - 'Bad Medicine'

Saturday 7 August
Crossroads - Episode 2882: January 1978
Man Of The World - 'The Runaways'
Perry Mason - 'The Case Of The Half-Wakened Wife'
The Sopranos - 'Employee Of The Month'